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Honda africa twin? anyone got/had/tryed?

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mr.z
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Joined: 04 Feb 2004
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PostPosted: 17:19 - 14 Aug 2004    Post subject: Honda africa twin? anyone got/had/tryed? Reply with quote
Just wondering at the moment, my current bike does me well, its cheep and comfy, but handleing and power are a bit lacking Sad

First thing is, i'm 5'8, the cx i have is easyly manageble, big trialies allways look a bit on the high up side to me but i guess it varies...

Serviceing? how much can be done by the typical home mechanic? this is fairly imprtant, to do my fork seals at the shop costs £90 excludeing the seals... i can do it myself without much difficulty, but then the cx is a simple beastie. i get the imression these kinds of bikes should be the kind you can take apart at the side of a road and fashon a fix with some mud damp twigs and selotape... maybe not but you know what i mean...

I know its probably not the coolest bike about (i'm sorta used to that though) but i like the idea of a stuuuurdy bike that will cope with with what is jokeingly called roads arround here, and maybe some semi greenlaneing?

Eventually (when i'm finished uni) i want to do some propper traveing, north europe and whatnot, maybe further afield sometime in the future...

So what do you think of them? how much would i be looking at for a good example?
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mr.z
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PostPosted: 02:45 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
(apologies for the bump)

nobody? Sad what about the transalp? or any xrv's? or any sub 2k big trialies worth looking at?
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Trunecka
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Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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PostPosted: 02:54 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm about the same height and don't find traillies a problem. They do require a slightly different riding style i.e. body positioning, and if you're smallish then they'll help you develop more upper-body strength. Elbows up when cornering and hinge the bike round the headstock, no worries. Cool
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Robby
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PostPosted: 10:52 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
Africa twins are quite expensive, but quite good. The engine can trace its roots back to your CX, and isn't all that powerful. A fairly basic 750cc V twin hefting a lot of weight around.

Transalps AFAIK are much the same kettle of fish but less powerful and cheaper.

Both should gobble distance nicely.
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mr.z
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PostPosted: 17:17 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm hopeing its no tooo expensive.. is £1500-£2000 unrealistic?

robby wrote:
The engine can trace its roots back to your CX, and isn't all that powerful.


Sounds familiar allright Very Happy but i dont use the 20% or so extra left in the cx as it is, only with a passenger does the cx struggle... 20 kg less and 10bhp more (before i do anything to the sprocketts or exhausts e.t.c.) would do me fine i think, but the hanleing is the main thing, to get the cx to the level of a 10year later bike would cost as much as buying one, even then theres no gaurentee throwing money at it will do alllot Sad

I looked at the transalp but i liked the look of the africa twin better, it looks more of the kind of bike you can throw off a cliff and tape it back together only to carry on your way... sturdy... not that i'm ever harsh with the bike but you never know, dropped mine last night for the first time ever (thought the side stand was down, it wasn't) the foglights i'd added needed to be bent back into shape and the left footrest had to be folded back down... that was it! if i'd had allot of dirrerent bikes i'd be trying to find a few hundred quid to replace the farings :o

Would some mild greenlaneing be out of the question with one of these? Shifty
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Sparks!
Sir Tart-a-lot



Joined: 30 Aug 2003
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PostPosted: 17:20 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
zero wrote:
Would some mild greenlaneing be out of the question with one of these? Shifty


Erm, firstly, ask yourself.. can you pick it up on your own when you drop it?

Can you manhandle it around bumpy and slippery surfaces?

The bike itself will do greenlaning but it depends on the rider.. I know for sure I wouldn't take a big bike like an Africa Twin anywhere remotely off road Laughing
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Kris
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PostPosted: 17:22 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
I can definately agree with Yams here. Those bikes are huge Shocked

Wouldn't want to have to pick one up off the floor myself either.
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WildGoose
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Joined: 21 Mar 2002
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PostPosted: 17:23 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
expensive, ive seen 1990's selling for 2500

so 1500 to 2000 will not get you a nice one, unless some dumb mug is selling it
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mr.z
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PostPosted: 17:26 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
YamsR6 wrote:
zero wrote:
Would some mild greenlaneing be out of the question with one of these? Shifty


Erm, firstly, ask yourself.. can you pick it up on your own when you drop it?

Can you manhandle it around bumpy and slippery surfaces?

The bike itself will do greenlaning but it depends on the rider.. I know for sure I wouldn't take a big bike like an Africa Twin anywhere remotely off road Laughing


Well as i said i had the plesure of watching my pride and joy falling to the concrete last night, its weights 230kg, thats without the extras the are on it and a full 22liters of petrol in, absoloutely no problem lifting it...

earlyer in the (eventfull) day we ended up on what could easyly pass for a bomb site of a road, with a passanger, not tremendous fun but it was not a big problem, on my own it would have been allot of fun Very Happy

but then i'd worry about makeing a mess of it Sad i might go with my original plan of getting a honda 90 and offroadificateing it Very Happy

yeh i'd seen them for more than £2000 Sad i "could" get a pricyer example but it would take quite a bit longer :/
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Last edited by mr.z on 17:33 - 17 Aug 2004; edited 1 time in total
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Sparks!
Sir Tart-a-lot



Joined: 30 Aug 2003
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PostPosted: 17:31 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
get a KLR650!

I hear smoto bob's selling his shortly Wink
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Smoto Bob
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PostPosted: 18:59 - 17 Aug 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
YamsR6 wrote:
get a KLR650!

I hear smoto bob's selling his shortly Wink


LOL, good work yams Thumbs Up
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